Ammunition storage box



F eb. 24, 1959 I o. A. KRAVIK 2,

AMMUNITION STORAGE BOX Filed March 2a, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f g H 29 r ,23 ,2! 25 11 m v 26 I 20 a [3 I I v 17 Q Y F)? 3 v I INVENTOR I 4 Ormund ,4; hravi/r BY QM tam I Y ATTORNEY CIA; KRAVIK AMMUNITION STORAGE BOX Feb. 24, 1959 Filed March 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR- Ormund l4. Kravi/c This invention relates to an improvement in ammunifl t idstam Patmt 7 2,874,615 Patented Feb. 24, 1959 7 partially empty, the ammunition is'agitated and tossed tion'storage boxes and deals particularly with a box for containing a' series of'connected shells to be delivered to agun through a flexible chute.

Considetable difliculty has been experienced in providing a storage boxfor shells'connected in chains so that they may be delivered in sequence to a high speed gun. If these shells are foldedin layers within the ammunition box the harness or links connecting the shells have a tendency to catch orengage one another so that the chain does not feed'smoothlyfromi the' box. The present invention whileluseful for other purposes, is particularly useful in supportinginterconnected shells so that they-may be quickly and easilywithdrawn from the ammunition box and fed through the boxoutlet-into the flexible chute leading to the gun. A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a box having a series of upright-partitions between which" the connected shells gmay "be festooned. The partitions are normally spaced apart a distance only slightly greater than the combined diameters of the two -rows'of sh ells festoonedbetweeneachlpair of partitions so that the: ammunition box can" be maintained at a iminimumsize to" accommodate the shells; The structure is such that as a pull is exerted'u'poii the series' of connected shells, first one partition and then the next is permitted to fold forwardly so that the shells can be easily drawn from the box with a minimum or triction. A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of an ammunition box having a series of paral- V lel-partitions which are hingedly supported to fold forwardly in sequence the shells are withdrawn. Each partition is held in upright position until the shells beftween this partition and the next forward partitionhave been withdrawn. However, as soon as one festoon of shells has been removed: the next partition may pivot forwardly so that the shellsfestooned behind this partition may be withdrawn with a minimum of friction.

A feature of the present invention resides in 'the provision of an ammunitionboxhaving a series of partition walls hingedly connected inparallel spaced relation to V a bottom surface of the box and having a novel means of normally holding the partition in an upright position. A

latch plate is hingedly connected to the forward side of eachpartition wall and this plate includes laterally projectingcam rollers or guides engaging in suitable cams on the sidewalls of the box. The plate is normally heldagainst thepartitioh wall to which'it is attached by the shells lying forwardly of this wall. When the shells holding the latch plate against its partition areremoved, the latch plate can pivot forwardly and upwardly so that the cam rollersbecome disengaged from their cams and permitting the partition wall to swing forwardly.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the ammunition box functions effectively even while inverted as in theeventof inverted flight. Conin Figure 1. n

a about when the aircraftpis flown in an inverted position or is flown in maneuvers where the direction of flight is suddenly changed. This causes interlocking of the belt and resultant jams, stopping the gun. In the present box, the ammunition is held in a restrained position "until the gun pulls it from the box, thus obviating these previous difficulties. i V e Another feature of the present invention lies in the factthatas each partition falls forwardly, it forms a s'moothflpath over which the ammunition may ride it moves toward the box outlet.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be'more clearly and fully set forthfin the following specification ,and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

"Figure l is'a front elevational view of an ammunition box showing the general formthereof.

Figure 2 is a sectional 'view' throughjaportion of the box, the section being parallel to the box end illustrated "Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail showin g the manner in which a latch plate is connected to its partition wall. v p Q Figure '4 is a top plan view of a portiomof the am-' munition box shown in Figure '1. t

Figure 5 is a sectional view through one of the partition walls.

- Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the ammunition box, a portion of the box being shown in 'sectionl Figure 7 is a sectional view showing the interior'of the ammunition box after a number of the shells have been removed therefrom. 3

The particular shape and design of the ammunition box is not of utmost importance. In the particular form illustrated the box includes a frontwall 10, a rear wall 11 and a bottom wall 12. Side walls 13 and are provided on opposite sides of thebody and a top wall 15 normally closes the top of the box. At the juncture between the front wall and thet'op wall an adapter 16 is' provided which is designed to connect the'ammunition box to' a flexible chute which is not illustrated in .the drawings. The flexible chute'normally connects the ammunition box A with a gun of suitable type,

As is indicated in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, a series of partition walls 17 are hingedly connected at their lower edges by hinges 19 to the bottom wall 12.

These hinges 19 permit the individual partitions 11 to fold forwardly toward the front wall 10 as is indicated in Figure 7 of the drawings. In storage position, however, the partition walls are parallel and upright as is indicated in Figure 6 of the drawings. V i

Each of the partition walls 17 is provided with a latch plate 20 hingedly connected thereto by means of a hinge connection 21 extending laterally of the partition wall and-parallel to the axis of each hinge 19. As is indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings, hinge bearings 21 may be connected to the partition wall and the upper edge of each latch plate 20 is provided with spaced aligned bearings 21 and 22 which are alternated through the bearings 22. A hinge pivot 23 extends through the width of the partition members 17 to provide the hinge connection. The latch plate 20 is, provided at each latferal edge with a forwardly extending flange or finger 24 designed to support a cam pin .or' roller 25. Each 'pin 25 extends laterally beyond the latch plate 20, each latch plate being provided with two oppositely projectventional animunitionboxes store theammunition in horizontal layers onthe bottom of the box. When ing pins or rollers designed to engage in suitable ca grooves formed in the side walls of the box.

With referenceto Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that each side wall such as 13 includesa bottom portion 26 connected by an off set 27 to an'intermediate portion 2 9. v The intermediate wall portion 29 is connected by an oif set 30 to an upper wall portion 31. The wall portions 26, 29 and 31 are parallel but oif set,

;.the; lower wall portions-26 being-spaced-apart a' greater distance-than the intermediate wall,por'tions 29 and the intermediate-wallportions 29 beingspaced apart a distanceggreater'than the upper wall portions-31. V

Asa result an-ammunition box is formed wh1ch:1s wider in its lower portionithaninrits upper P01111011. The

lower wall portions I 26-are spaced :apart' a vdistance'suflicientto accommodate the cam pins-.or'rollers 25 there- ;between; However, the intermediate wall portions 29 are normally too close together ;to accommodate the 'rollers 'or pins 25 therebetween, 'but this intermed ate wall portion on each side of thebox is'providedwith a seriesof opposed-earn slots which.are, in efiect,; outwardly bulging portions of properdepth to accommodate the pins or rollers 25. w v

From anexamination of Figuresfi and 'l of the drawings, it should beobvious that-each cam slot has a'blind end 32 which is connected by a forwardly andupwardly .inclined slot portion 33 to a topcurve portion '34. This .topcurve portion 34-leads to'a downwardly and forwardly flared outlet portion 35. 'Each of thecam'slots is similarly shaped andthere are apair of opposed cam slots foreach partition to accommodatethe laterally projecting pins or rollers of the corresponding latchplate.

With reference now to Figure 7' of the drawings,-it willbe seen that when a latch plate 20 is in vertical position against the partition wall to which it is hinged, the cam pins or projections engage in the blind-ends-32 'of' thecam slots, thus holding the partition'walls, from pivoting in either direction. 6 However, if the latch plate 20 is permitted to swingforwardly as is illustrated in Figure 7, the cam pins or rollers can ride-11p in theup wardly inclined portions 32 of the slot, around the top curved portion '34, and leave, the cam slot through the flared outlet 35. The partition 17 is then free to swing forwardly against the next forward partition in the manner shown at the right side of Figure 7.

Having now described the construction of the ammunition box, the operation'will be described. The top of the box is normally opened-in any suitable way for the loading operation. The end of the series of connected shells is fed downwardly between the partition wall'17.

at the extreme left end of the boxes viewed in Figure 7. This'partition is in its vertical position and the chain of shells is lowered into the area between the first and second partitions to form a festoon. When-the festoon of shells is formed, the-shells bear againstthe latch plate of the first partition member and .hold this plate from pivoting upwardly and forwardly thus locking the partition in vertical position. A festoon of shells is then :formed'between the second and third partitions,.this festoon holding the locking plate of the second'partition wallfrom swinging forwardly. The weight of the'latch plate tends to hold each partition in anupright position unless there is a forward pull exerted upon the uppen edge of the partition. Thus little difiiculty is found in a'forward .pull is exerted 'on the upper extremity of the foremost partition wall. This forward partition'wall is unlocked in upright position and immediately falls for- 'WaI'tlIY'SO that its upper edgerests against the front Wall ofthe box.

"The" second festoon 'of shells is then drawn from the 'box until a forward pull is exerted'upon the upper end of the second partition wall. By this time the shells between the first and second partitionshave uncovered the latch plate and this latch plate swings forwardly and upwardly, the cam pins or rollers connected thereto sliding in the corresponding cam slot. This unlocks the second partition and thispartition may then fall forwardly against the first-partition. In the same manner each partition falls forwardly when the latch plate thereon is uncovered and a forward pull is exerted upon the top'of the partition. -Whenall of the partitions have swung forwardly the lastofthe chain may be drawn from the box, the partitions forming a relatively smooth surface olfering no obstructions to the movement of the shells.

In actual tests'the-present ammunition box has been found to function efiectively even when the shells are removed at an extremely high rate of speed. Due to l'the fact that theclips holding the shells in a cha nnor- --mally include certainprojectingparts, there has always I been some difiiculty due to the cartridge clips hooking together to prevent a :smooth-movement-of the cartridge .chainn Furthermore, as the cartridge clips'are usually -centrally' connected-by ring-shaped linksjand; as the projectile ends of the cartridges aresmallerthanthe other ends, therehas-always been a" tendency for the cartridges to stack'improperly -and to twist and-turnas they are the principles of construction and operation of my nected elements, thebox including-a box body having an ammunition storage box,;and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that. obvious changes may be'r'nade within'the scope of'thefollowing claims without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Iclairn:

=1. A 'boxfor containingan; elongated, chainzof conoutlet at one end thereofjand apair ofspaced parallel side walls, each side wall being formed ;with a series of upwardly curving arcuate slots closed atone lower end and open at the other lower end, eachsidewallbeing offset below the open endsof said slots to thereby increase-the lateral spacing of the walls beneath said slots, aserles of upright partitions hingedly connected to the bottom of the box, said .partitionsbeing spaced'to permit a-loop of the chain'to be festooned between the pairs of adjacent partitions and said partitions being swingable to- .wardsaid outlet, a; latch plate hinged adjacent its upper edge to theside ofeach'partitionfacing said outlet, each .platecarryinga pair of integral fingers at each side there- 0 of directed toward said outlet and provided with an outwardly issuing-pinat the freeendof. each finger, each pin .having a-length sufiicient to project into'one of said slots but short enough to permit the pins to be released from saidslots via the open ends thereof without interference from said wall portions beneath the slots, whereby pressure of a chainelement against any one ofsaid latch plates holds that latch plate and its pins adjacent the closedvends of theirassociated slots and hence the partition to which that particular latch plate is hinged in an uprightpos ition until said chain element is'removed.

2. A box for containing an elongated chain of connected elements, theboxrincluding a box body having an outlet at one ..end thereof and a pair of spaced parallel side walls, at least one of said side walls including a portion spaced from the bottom of the box which is inwardly offset from the lowen-portionof saidwall, said inwardly offset portion including. a. series of camslots open at one end to the lower .extremityof saidoffsetportion, a series of upright partitions hingedly connected to the bottom of the box,'said partitions being. spacedto permit a loop of said chain to be 'festoonedbetweenthe pairs of adjacent partitions, a latch plate hinged adjacent an edge to the side of each partition plate facing said outlet, a cam pin mounted on each plate and cngageable in a corresponding cam slot, each said plate, when hinged against its partition, holding said pin engaged in its cam slot, pivotal movement of each said plate away from its partition permitting said cam pin to move from the open end of said cam slot, said cam pins being freely movable between the lower portions of said side walls in any position of said plate, whereby pressure of a chain element against any said plate holds said plate against its partition and said plate holds the cam pin thereon from disengagement from its cam slot.

'3. The structure of claim 2 and in which said camslots comprised upwardly curved slots having a closed end opposite said open end, and in which'said plates are pivoted along their upper edges.

4. The structure of claim 2 and in which pressure in Q 6 partitions being spaced to permit a loop of the chain to betestooned between the pairs of adjacent partitions, said partitions being swingable toward said outlet, and locking means for holding said partitions upright, said locking means including a latch plate hinged to each partition and normally held against its partition and thus in locked position by the loop of chain testooned between the pairs of partitions, the elimination of each loop releasing the corresponding locked means to permit a corresponding partition to hinge forwardly toward said outlet, each said latch plate including laterally extending means extending beyond the corresponding partition, said locking means also including cooperable means on a wall of said box body engaged by said laterally extending means when said latch plate is against its partition and disengageable therefrom when said latch plate hinges nected elements, the box including a box body having 25 an outlet at one end thereof, a series of upright partitions hingedly connected to the bottom of the box, said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Larsson Mar. 8, 1938 Broga Nov. 2, 1948 

